


Afternoon Coffee

by NanixErka



Series: Tuffet Tales [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Autistic Papyrus, Human, Human AU, Monster Frisk, Other, Pancakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-04 05:57:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5323049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanixErka/pseuds/NanixErka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A thank you trip to a coffee shop backfires on Pap, but talking helps</p>
            </blockquote>





	Afternoon Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> This one came out Fluffer than expected. PERFECT

Papyrus didn’t know what he was expecting when he smelled Pancakes in the morning. 

But Tuffet in his brothers “Gettin’ Frisky” sleep shirt was not it.

Still half awake, the taller brother sauntered in, squinting at Tuffet, who turned her head to him. She looked tired too. her glasses falling down her nose, so she was squinting at him in turn. Her hair was loose, in tight brown curls that fell past her shoulders. Despite being only an inch or so shorter than Sans, his shirt was ridiculously big on her- perhaps it was her small frame. She was mixing more pancake batter, it seemed 

“Papyrus, Darling? Is that you?” She asked, her sweet voice laced with the hint of a yawn. 

“Uhm, yes! Uh, Good morning, Theodora!” He announced, and watched her wince “ah, sorry” He apologized. Tuffet shook her head

“Tuffet, dear. Or Tuffie. Call me those. Can you please push up my glasses? I can’t see a darned thing, or you for that matter” She asked, turning in his general direction. He reached forward and pushed her glasses up

“Oh, sorry, Tuffet. . It is not that I am not happy to see you, I very much am! But might I ask why you are here?” he asked, sitting at the counter. Tuffet chuckled

“I was driving Sans home from Grillbyz and… Well we got in a little accident” Tuffet told him, putting the bowl down “We didn’t even get scratched, don’t worry!” She assured, seeing the brief look of fear on his face “But my car was out of commission, and Sans offered to let me stay the night” 

“Oh, well, that was awful nice of him! Where did you sleep? My room? Was my father home? You could have slept in his bed” Papyrus asked more, tilting his head 

“Uhm, well…” 

Before Tuffet could made poor Pap uncomfortable, Sans wandered in with Frisk close behind - the little monster immediately going for the finished pancakes. Tuffets attention went to keeping the little monster from eating before the food was ready. 

“Mornin bro, how was the sleepover?” Sans asked, putting a hand through his own hair. 

“Oh, it was marvelous, brother! We watched crime dramas until we got too scared, then we watched Pixar films!” Papyrus answered enthusiastically “It was much fun.” 

“Aw, i’m happy you and the kiddo had fun, bro” Sans smiled at his little brother, and turned his head to see Frisk sitting at the table, hands folded, waiting patiently for the pancakes. He couldn’t help but chuckle “What’s cookin’ Tuff?” He asked, seeing her pour more batter

“Just some pancakes” she shrugged “I owe you that much” 

“Nah, I owe you too, but let’s just call it even as of now so we don’t start an IOU war” Sans shrugged. Tuffet did the same

Papyrus sat with Frisk at the table, grinning, and tapping the table in a steady rhythm, which Tuffet bobbed her head to. It was a slow beat, probably to keep his hands occupied. She hummed a tune, and Papyrus grinned “You guessed the song I was tapping!” 

“It is “island in the sun, yes?” She asked, flipping a pancake. 

“Yes!” Papyrus answered enthusiastically “You like Wheezer?” 

“That's the only song i know, i’m afraid” She replied, shrugging. Sans was trying to get at the pancakes, and was swatted at with the flipper “no! Stop!” 

“Tuffet don’t be mean” He huffed, but decided to join the pack at the table. 

“Don’t eat the food before its all ready. Its common decency, Sansie, dear” 

Frisk giggled at the nickname. Sans shot a playful glare at the goat child and they stuck their tongue out right back. Sans was smiling again. 

Papyrus loved seeing him smile

Papyrus sat, watching her finish up and turn around. Her glasses were falling again, but she managed to get the platter of pancakes to the table. “alright! Eat them how you like!” She grinned, and sat opposite of him at the table. 

Everyone ate their own… special way

Frisk was just taking pancakes and eating them like a sandwich, Tuffet was similar, but rolled hers up. Sans was the only one using syrup, but he was still eating with his hands. 

What a weird group, was what Papyrus was commenting on in his head. Then again, he didn’t help.

He was currently doing what he always did with pancakes, tearing them into squares and eating them one by one. He wasn’t too sure why he did this, but it felt right. No one paid him any mind as he let his thoughts wander back to Tuffet, who smiled at him when they made eye contact

Her car had crashed? How awful! He knew that she lived quite a ways away- as when they did rarely go to see her he always fell asleep in the car. How was she going to go home? He suddenly looked back at her “Miss Toriel can take you home” He voiced. 

“Excuse me, dearest?” She tilted her head 

“Uh, well” He thought quickly, losing his train of thought for a moment “Well Miss Toriel is coming to -coming to pick up Frisk, so she can take you home, yes!” 

“Oh, yes, thank you, Papyrus! Sans, Do you have her number? I only have Asgore’s” She asked, turning to the brother closest to her. He handed her his phone. 

Tuffet left the room. 

“Sans, why was Tuffet driving you home from the bar?” Papyrus asked just as Tuffet was leaving. Sans made a face.

“... I got pretty…. wasted last night, bro. Sorry” He shrugged “She insisted on driving me home” 

“That was very nice of her, but her car is trashed now, yes?” Papyrus pushed. Sans grimaced

“Yeah…” Sans rubbed the back of his neck “But thanks for the idea about Toriel, Bro. I wouldn’t have thought of that till it was too late” 

Papyrus furrowed his brow “You needn’t worry about thanking me brother! I must find a way to thank Tuffet for her kindness toward you! You may have said that you two were even, but she was taking care of you! So I must thank her myself!” He exclaimed. 

“How you gonna do that, bro?” Sans asked, leaning on the table. Papyrus furrowed his brow 

“hm…. Oh! Miss Toriel is not picking up Frisk until about 3 O’clock, and i know for a FACT that Tuffet likes the coffee from the coffee shop right up the street! I shall ask her if she would like to accompany me to the shop for coffee and a pasty!” Papyrus smiled almost smugly “It will be a good start to thanking her for her kindness” He nodded. 

 

“Aw, sweetheart~”

 

He turned and saw Tuffet with a huge, sweet grin on her face. “I’d love to, Papyrus. Just let me launder my clothing so i’m clean and ready to go out, okay?”   
Papyrus did nothing but grin and nod, finishing off his pancakes as Tuffet got back to her conversation with Toriel. 

Some time later, Tuffet was dressed in her uniform for Grillby’s minus the vest, and her coat fit her snugly as she waited for Papyrus. The young man launched himself down the stairs, and landed next to the couch before jogging over to Tuffet. 

“Are you prepared for a nice afternoon coffee??” He asked enthusiastically. Tuffet grinned 

“You bet. I love Ebott Grounds” She nodded to Sans and Frisk (who were watching some afternoon talk show) in goodbye as the two of them left the house. 

“I want to thank you most sincerely for helping my brother, even if it did not turn out so well for your car” Papyrus started as they began a roughly ten minute walk. 

“It is alright, Papy dear” She replied to him, her hands in her pockets. “Your brother got me out of the car when I was too afraid to move. We helped each other. I’m pretty sure he carried me to your house. its all a bit hazy” Tuffet looked a little bit toward the street, and Papyrus tilted his head 

“Well, my brother is a great hero, after all!” He boasted “Almost as great as me” He grinned and laughed when Tuffet let out a giggle. 

“Indeed, Papyrus. He is.” She agreed, looking ahead now. 

“Hey, Tuffet?” Papyrus suddenly sounded a bit serious. Tuffet looked at him

“Yes..?”

“Why did you agree to take my brother home? I mean, You could have called me or my father” Papyrus shrugged “I can drive the car when I need to” 

Tuffet sighed “Sans… He didn’t look happy, when I saw him at the bar. I took him home because I wanted to talk to him. We did talk - after the accident unfortunately, and it was good” She summarized. Papyrus furrowed his brow, but was unsure of what to say. He started patting his thighs with his gloved hands, trying to keep himself from being too awkward. 

When they got to Ebott Grounds, there was a sizable crowd for 12:30 PM, and Papyrus immediately felt himself shut down. he wasn’t expecting so many people. He bit his tongue, trying to hide his discomfort with a neutral expression, but Tuffet knew that neutral meant trouble, and tapped his shoulder. 

“Papy, sweetie. How about you wait out here, and i’ll get the coffee, hm?” She asked, concern in her eyes. He looked down at her and nodded before he could think it was rude. She was about to walk in when he grabbed her by the sleeve, and she turned “yes?” 

He handed her his wallet 

“I’m sorry” He muttered, feeling ashamed of himself. He just hated all that noise so much. He wanted to cover his ears. 

“You have nothing to be sorry for” Tuffet assured him, and pointed to a bench “Sit there and do what you have to. I’ll be out in a few minutes” She took his hand, squeezed it briefly, and went inside the crowded little coffee shop. 

Papyrus sat on the bench, covering his ears and feeling defeated. His plan for thanking her, ruined!! He hadn’t felt so low since that time Frisk had a nightmare and he hadn’t been able to comfort them. He felt his phone vibrate

“Are we still on for dinner 2nite? <33” 

Mettaton. Papyrus used the hand that wasn’t on his ear anymore to respond

“Yes”

“What? No emoticons? Papy, darling, is something wrong?” 

Papyrus started at the screen, unsure what to do. 

/ring ring/

“Mettaton, here”

“Hey Mettaton, I gotta tell you a story” 

“Lay it on me, darling! You sound so distressed!” Mettatons melodramatics made Papyrus talk with more fervor as he told him about what had happened with Tuffet from breakfast to then. “....Oh sweetie. I don’t know this Tuffet but she sounds like a real stand up gal! She must really care about you and your brother”

“I mean, who wouldn’t right? I am the great Papyrus!” 

“Exactly!! Just tell her how much it means to you that she’s been so nice! From what you’ve told of her I think she’ll be touched. 

“... You’re right, Mettaton! Thank you so much!” Papyrus’s grin was a wide as it had ever been “Love you!!” He hung up before the words could register, due to the fact that Tuffet was coming his way with two coffee cups and a bag. She sat next to him 

“How are you feeling, dear?” She asked. “The crowd is gone, so its not that loud now” She motioned “I got you a canolli, is that okay?” Papyrus nodded eagerly, and took it from her “Also, here is your hot milk. I know you don’t like coffee” She smiled, and Papyrus took that as well. She was so attentive, despite not being around all that much when it came to it. He wondered how he remembered so well. 

“Tuffet?” 

“Yes, Pap?” Tuffet took a sip of her coffee 

“... I know that I, the great Papyrus, am great in many ways, one of the ways in which i am just slightly less great is thanking people.” He turned himself so he was facing her more, still having to look down quite a bit. Sheesh, was she always this small? “But I do sincerely want to thank you. Not just for helping my dear brother.. but for assisting me as well. I mean, I am great, so I do not need all that much help, but when I was overwhelmed, you knew just what to do and I am so very grateful!!” He was red in the face. Was he embarrassed himself with his words. “You love my brother and I very much, and I want to assure you that we love you just as much! Though, to be fair, I probably love you more than my brother does, as I have a bigger heart” 

He said that last part so matter of factly that Tuffet just had to let out a quick laugh. But other than that laugh, she looked genuinely touched. She smiled, her eyes getting a little glassy. She put her drink and croissant down. 

“Could I hug you, sweetie? That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me” 

Papyrus put down his hot milk and cannoli and swept the small woman into his arms “Why of course!! You certainly deserve a hug from me, the great Papyrus!!” Tuffet just laughed and hugged him back best she could. 

The shared warmth reminded Papyrus of what home used to be.


End file.
